10 Ways to Save the World

If we really want to save the world, first we have to save ourselves. Until we heal our own wounds and find inner peace and happiness, what we mostly have to offer the world is our troubles.

When we find ourselves rooted in peace, then we can face the world as it is. Then we can give the world what it needs, just be being here. When we are peace, that is what we give.

This is not to say we should do nothing until then. But its important to understand that how we are makes the biggest difference in the world. Peace will come when enough of us are at peace.

Here are a few principles that come to mind.

1 – Meditate regularly, in a group whenever you can. Research has demonstrated that this improves the quality of life for everyone in the community. It’s also why the crime rate has been going down. Really – there’s almost 40 years of research & dozens of studies. They’ve ended wars with it.

2 – Learn to pay attention to how things feel. You have a feeling relationship with everything in your life. It’s good to be conscious of the effect it has and what you create by how you feel. Don’t resist how you feel but learn to let feelings go.

3 – Make sure you’re acting for things rather than against them. Pro-peace not anti-war. One cultures happiness, the other anger. If you spend too much time dwelling on what’s wrong, you’ll miss what’s right and you darken the world. Solutions, not problems.

Ok, during morning group meditation I thought of another one, no doubt evoked by recent events in my own life:

14. Offer to make amends for mistakes we’ve made that may have injured another. And if possible, make them.

Yes, part of 12 steps and in my own experience offering to make amends actually quickens and deepens the healing process, for all parties involved.

Plus it reflects Marshall Rosenberg’s NonViolent Communication very wise idea that tho we do not CAUSE the uncomfortable feelings of others, our words and actions can and do CONTRIBUTE to uncomfortable feelings, especially of those closest to us.

A very useful distinction for anyone wanting to have deep and loving and authentic relationships even before they’re completely enlightened (-:

No, but I have read some interesting stuff about 13. Around the time of Pythagoras, some considered math like magic. They found 13 to be a number of power. To save it for themselves, they popularized that 13 was unlucky. Or so the story goes.

Life is a dance. Are you dancing, getting jostled, or sitting it out? 😉

hmm – 14 is good, but we have to forgive first or the drive to make amends will be driven by guilt, need, etc. This relates to #7.

How about:
14 – Forgive ourselves our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. 😉
then….
14a – when we’re at peace, offer amends or a peace offering to smooth the waters.

This comes back to the point that it’s what we’re offering inside that is more important that the act itself.